A new study by two evolutionary experts, Colin Shaw from the University of Zurich and Daniel Longman from Loughborough University, suggests that many modern health problems come from a big mismatch between how our bodies are built and the fast-changing world we now live in.
Their research explains that the human body evolved over hundreds of thousands of years for a life that included lots of movement, short bursts of stress, and daily contact with nature.
In the past, people lived as hunter-gatherers. They had to move often, deal with occasional dangers like wild animals, and spent their days outside in natural environments.
These situations caused short-term stress that quickly went away—like when a lion came close, you either ran or fought, and then the danger was gone. That kind of stress was normal and even helpful.
But today, we face different kinds of stress that don’t go away. Traffic, work pressure, noise, social media, and bright lights are everywhere, all the time. Shaw and Longman say our bodies still react to these modern stressors as if they were lions.
So, our nervous system gets activated again and again, but we never get the recovery time we used to have. This constant pressure puts a big strain on our health.
Their analysis also looks at how life in cities and modern environments may be lowering our ability to survive and have children. While we’ve made amazing progress in medicine and comfort, these improvements also come with new problems.
For example, sperm counts in men have dropped steadily since the 1950s. Some experts believe this could be due to chemicals like pesticides and tiny plastic particles, known as microplastics, which are now found in our food and water.
The study points out other worrying trends too. More people are dealing with immune system issues, like allergies and autoimmune diseases. Fertility rates are going down in many parts of the world. These changes may show that modern life is slowly wearing down parts of our biology that were well suited to a different kind of life.
The big issue, according to the researchers, is that human evolution takes a very long time. Our genes change slowly—over tens of thousands of years. But our world is changing much faster, and our biology simply can’t keep up. This means we can’t just wait for evolution to fix the problem.
Instead, Shaw and Longman say we need to take action. They believe cities should be designed with human biology in mind. People need more access to nature, better air, less noise, and fewer harmful chemicals.
They argue that being in nature isn’t just nice—it’s necessary for good health. Spending more time in natural places can lower blood pressure, improve immune function, and reduce stress.
Shaw also says that scientists can study what kinds of environments cause stress and then share that information with people who design cities and public spaces. The goal is to make the places we live healthier and more in tune with how our bodies really work.
In the end, their message is clear: our modern world is not what our bodies were made for. To stay healthy, we need to reconnect with nature and make our cities and homes more human-friendly. It’s not about going back in time, but about building a future that supports both our physical and mental health.
If you care about wellness, please read studies about how ultra-processed foods and red meat influence your longevity, and why seafood may boost healthy aging.
For more health information, please see recent studies that olive oil may help you live longer, and vitamin D could help lower the risk of autoimmune diseases.
The study is published in Biological Reviews.
